Josh Plaut and Patricia Blanchet of New York
University have described them as "landmark films [...] which
are characterized by the most progressive ideas of human and
personal liberation [and which] have deeply impacted an era of
Black independent cinema."[5]

In addition to producing his own films about Mozambique, Van
Lierop arranged the screening of Mozambican films in the United
States in 1981, with the proceeds serving to build a hospital in
Mozambique.[6]

Career as
diplomat

In 1980, when the newly independent Vanuatu joined the United Nations, its Prime Minister, Walter Lini, asked Van
Lierop to be its Permanent Representative at
the United Nations. The two men had met when Vanuatu had been a
topic of discussion at the U.N. just prior to its independence. Van
Lierop accepted, and represented Vanuatu for over a decade. He was,
throughout the 1980s, Vanuatu's only diplomat stationed permanently
in New York, and he
visited Vanuatu twice a year on average.[1
]

As Vanuatu's ambassador, and following instructions from the
ni-Vanuatu government, he campaigned within the U.N. against apartheid in South Africa, and in favour of decolonisation for East Timor, Western Sahara, West Papua and New Caledonia, among others. Van Lierop
stated in 1990 that "On the issue of decolonisation, in particular
for New Caledonia, Vanuatu is recognised as one of the principal
promoters of independence, and this has resulted in great respect
for our country".[1
]